WAVE 1 is over – Our conclusions

The first wave of shipping is now coming to a close so it’s time to give you an update on project at the end of this stage.

We’ll be talking about the delivery process and the lessons that we can take forward into wave two. Additionally, we’ll be talking about the production errors that have been present in the second edition core boxes and the solutions that we would like to propose.

Before we get stuck in, we’d like to thank all the happy explorers out there that have been eagerly sharing you’re adventures with us, as well as those that have experienced some issues during this phase and have been very patient and courteous with us.

Deliveries

All distribution centres have now finished sending out Wave 1 content.

If, by the end of the week, you still haven’t received your rewards that were due in wave 1 (base box, playmat, sleeves, notebook, bone dice) then please don’t hesitate to contact us by email: kickstarter@seriouspoulp.com (please only use this address to contact us and not other means such as Private Messages, Facebook, etc.).

Overall, the freight shipping from China to the distribution centres went well. There were a few unavoidable delays, mostly due to weather and Customs (especially for the US) as well as an accumulation of problems concerning the Canadian containers.

On the subject of Canada; during the first campaign, we chose to ship the games via the Atlantic Ocean as it was easier to access the depot of our shipping partners: Snakes & Lattes in Toronto. After a lot of feedback, we decided to ship the rewards via the Pacific and then to the West coast. Sadly, a series of delays at sea and on land cancelled out the time we were meant to save by proceeding as such. We’re currently talking with our freight shipper to determine the best solution for Wave 2. We’ll let you know our decision once it has been made.

Otherwise, all our shipping partners did great work in respecting the time frame we set. Very few packages arrived damaged thanks to the care that was taken during packing and the extra material used. They were also all very reactive when it came to solving problems that logically occur when sending over 20,000 packages.

Our thanks to them for their professionalism and dedication.

After Sales Services and Support

At this stage we are currently receiving hundreds of messages every day.

Our Support team is working as hard as they can to reply and resolve any issues as quickly as possible. In the means time we once again ask for your patience as, currently, it may take up to two weeks for us to reply to you if your message is not about delivery issues.

Production Issues and proposed solution

With a project the size and complexity of The 7th Continent, it’s difficult to avoid mistakes entirely.
Sometimes, the biggest mistakes – precisely because we don’t expect them to happen – are the ones that throw the biggest wrench in your carefully oiled plans. Our insistence of holding to our announced delivery dates for the first wave of deliveries and the pressure that Panda was under to finish printing before the Chinese New Year probably certainly didn’t help either…

Concerning the second edition of the core box, two distinct issues have surfaced that sadly both ourselves and Panda didn’t notice until we started getting reports from backers that had received their copies. On top of that, the appearance of these issues is relatively random and don’t affect all copies sent out.

The two production errors identified are a difference in shade on the back of the Action cards as well varying card sizes for certain copies of the game, which of course also has a knock-on effect for those of you that purchased card sleeves.

Colour

This issue concerns the shade of blue on the back of the Action cards which in some cases can be markedly different.
At first, we were led to believe that only four cards were concerned.

Over the past few weeks however we have been able to collect more information (here, on Board Game Geek, the official forums, etc.).
This revealed to us that a non-negligible number of copies, even though it’s impossible to know exactly how many, possess a large amount of Action cards with a visible variation in shades of blue on their backs. These variations can, when not overlooked, influence your gaming experience.

Size

The second issue concerns the size of different cards that seems to vary between copies.

When reprinting the core box, cutting tools for the cards were replaced several times during the print run. A tooling error led to a size difference of 0.1 mm to 1 mm between certain copies as well as, in rare cases, between cards in the same box.

Sleeves

Of course, the fact that some cards are up to 1 mm larger explains why some of you have been having issues with your card sleeves. We initially thought that the issue was coming from the sleeves themselves, but it seems that for the majority, the cards are at fault, not the sleeves.

Therefore, we ask that all those concerned keep their card sleeves as they will be perfectly usable once the card size issue has been resolved.

Solution

Both Panda and ourselves take responsibility for these mistakes and offer you all our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience. Staying on schedule is important but it should not be to the detriment of the quality of the product, which is one of the core principals of both Panda and Serious Poulp.

After a lot of consideration and discussion we have taken the decision, in coordination with Panda, to reprint ALL the cards for the “second edition” core box as well as for the upgrade packs provided to Veteran backers.

These new cards will follow a new and stricter quality control process that Panda will be putting in to place that will be in accordance with our game’s particularities.
This is the best way to correct the difference in shades for the Action cards and be certain that all cards (first and second edition) are the same size.

These production errors, even if they are annoying, should not stop you from enjoying the copy of The 7th Continent that you have already received. We have decided that the best compromise in terms of time/cost/quality is to have these new cards sent during wave 2 along with the other content.

Therefore, if you were meant to receive all of your rewards in Wave 2, your package will include all the new cards.

If you have already received all of your rewards in wave 1, you’ll have the opportunity to request that these replacement cards be sent to you in Wave 2 at no additional charge. Information about how to do so will be included in a future update.

We will let you know over the coming weeks what impact this will have on the schedule for Wave 2, bearing in mind that our priority is to provide you with an amazing game in both content and material.

This solution, despite being costly and time intensive, is the one the game deserves and we hope you all agree.

Once again thank you all for your patience, support and understanding.

Comments

SO, I have opted for wave 1 - got email about shipping starting - and it ended there - got no package or any updates or anything else. Kinda disappointed at this point as two of my friends got the game already. Waiting for Q1 2019 sounds very disappointing.

Superbacker

@Matthew Sounds like if you have anything to receive in wave2 you'll get them automatically. So you'll only have to contact them if you have no wave2 items pending. But regardless they have said in the comments that we'll get more info about the replacement procedure when we get closer to wave2. So wait for a update explaining it....

Superbacker

Decided to open my game today to see if I am affected by the card color difference and sadly I am. Its clear as day that these cards are different. Unfortunate to say the least. Hoping the replacement cards ship out sooner rather than later.

We are having so much fun playing this game, I haven't even checked if there is some color difference on the back of the action cards.
I am sleeving only action and state cards - no issue encountered on my side.

Actually, we are playing so much that I don't find the time to perform a little bit of painting !
Hope some people are enjoying the game as much as us.

It's not just the action deck that needs to be corrected, it's potentially the entire game. Not everyone wants to sleeve the entire game, and those that DO, have already purchased sleeves. So sending them more isn't a solution. And in any case, new sleeves won't fix cards that are the wrong size.

But ignoring that, let's say that's the route they choose... the sleeves would be have to be opaque on one side to cover the color problem (expensive) and a custom size not used by any other game. SP would have to find a partner who will be able to design and produce and package them in time to avoid delaying Wave 2. Not impossible...but more complex to execute than simply getting your existing partner to print the cards again at the correct size and color.

Lastly, if the color and size problem were the printer's fault due to bad QC, then it's their responsibility to make it right. It may not cost SP as much as we think it will.

Superbacker

@Schleima On phone so limited ability to copy paste so you will have to look, but second to last paragraph.
Also I said Maybe, not definitive, maybe a delay. That said... I worked in enough industries to know that this type of reprint, unless done in a different factory, will most likely delay 7th 2nd wave. I am not saying it is, again only maybe, but do be prepared just in case as it is likely and possible. BUT not official as you said yourself.

BreezingThrough, where have you seen that there will be a delay in Wave 2? I've only read wild speculation from random backers-- nothing official from SP or Jamie directly. As far as I can tell there is no evidence yet to indicate a delay in Wave 2.

Superbacker

Below comment aside... seeing as their maybe a delay in Wave 2... maybe to help offset some the lost cost, by reopening PM and letting us all (quite a few reqauests for it) get some the expansions we missed...

Superbacker

I think the best way to fix the colour issue is to just reward everyone enough sleeves to place all skill cards (and item, curse etc) in a sleeve, so that the colour issue is removed and they do not have to lose all that time and effort in reprinting a full game again.
I maybe wrong, it maybe cheaper to replace the cards then it would be to provide sleeves, but this is a way to fix the issue i feel.

We have had to place a box over the deck as we caught my son declining a task and using it for a movement and return, because he knew the curse was on top, doing similar things a few times now. When a 12 year old kid as worked out which cards are coming, just from the colour issue, I can understand why this is a concern for others. Can ruin the game when you know you task will fail and "cheat" the game.

The way of boxing this playmat was not a best idea.
Hope its possible to straight it up, I put it on the flor to see if it will help, will give You a note in a few days.
Or maybe somebody solved this problem already in another way ?

@Vivian Circle, I have the same issue with my game mat. The box idea was nice, but with the folds down the middle the cards never get anywhere near flat, we ended up putting it aside and using just the table! Such a shame having paid for this add on!

Will the same consistency be applied to cards from the expansions - i.e., the small-box expansions - along with the core game? I'd hate to see a repeat of the same issue when people start mixing their expansion cards into the core box (assuming that's how the expansions are meant to be incorporated).

Superbacker

@Lufnar We dont need to contact tthem untill a following update tells us too. And yes the update says that all core box cards will be reprinted. They will however only ship them to people requesting them in a method yet to be annocuned (they will tell us how to reuest them in a following update). So yes, you get all new cards, but if anyone havn't got cards issues and still does the reprint request they are kind of a dick (but maybe the request method will include some kind of 'proof of print error' portion). Time will tell.

Hi, im bit confused. I got my copy and unfortunately i'm affected with having my action cards being inconsistent with the colors. My sleeves have not yet arrived so i dont know yet if the cards are the right size or not.

Can someone clear one thing out for me. Are they actually saying that they will replace ALL cards (adventure, exploration/skills etc) for every backer regardless? That just doesnt sound like it can be correct. Because that sounds like you practically get another 'core' game excluding rulebook and figured and stuff and that must make their profits just vanish to produce all that for us.

Im going to be waiting for another update where they lay out more details. Im also wondering if i need to contact them about my cards.

Hi all,
I just would like to say I am impressed by Serious Poulp!
The game is really great, and the support is at the same level!
I sent an email yesterday, I got a detailed and personalized answer a couple of hours after!
Thank you Serious Poulp!

Superbacker

@Jamie/@SP: There were a number of complaints about the bone dice having a nib on the “1” side that keeps it from laying flat. My dice had this defect, as well. Are there plans to replace them as well?

Superbacker

Sleeving the main box, I've got 8 complete packs of sleeves that are to small as well as about 10 random sleeves. If I use them it causes the cards to bend (like arch). I tried the same card in other sleeves that fit other cards OK and they fit nicely. You can put the sleeves on top of each other and the ones that feel tight on the cards are visibly narrower.

A friend of mine who backed this failed to fill out the backer kit details. I'm assuming he can just get in on the 2nd wave shipping and wait for October / November to receive the product.

Meanwhile, I started playing solo and my kids looked on and said they'd like to play too. So having just died, I'll start over again with them. I haven't noticed any size difference, but definitely color differences -- in fact I first thought the advanced skills were a darker blue color but then saw it was more widespread than that. And I've only seen 1 green card that discolored. I also initially thought I was missing a few cards, but then realized that the gap in numbers was intentional.

Superbacker

Bishop, I understand sizes affects all cards. I mentioned that and also mentioned I have one of the affected copies. .5 to 1 mm does not affect game-play for non-blue cards unless you are scrutinizing and constantly comparing to other of the same number. I managed to sleeve all current cards, sleeves are also inconsistent, so one has to find perfect fit a few times. I am voicing my opinion, which comes from a place of concern for a healthy margin on a company I want to see grow. It is a comment section, do try to be civil and not target others for making use of the medium for its purpose. Logistically, if we all agreed on blue cards, then that would not need fiddling with specifics, but unfortunately this is not a perfect world and many backers do want a complete replacement. The company made its decision known, we are free to discuss, within this space, about the topics shared in this update.

How long have you guys had to wait for email responses? The update says up to two weeks if "is not about delivery issues", but my issue is that one of my two core boxes wasn't in the delivered box. I emailed Saturday, so I assume it took until Monday to read, but no response yet.

I've got a sob story, sorta, in case anyone cares! The second box is a gift for my brother that I am flying to visit next week, so I'm going to give him the only copy I have. The delivery timing looked so good for this flight, but sadly I'm left without a copy of my own. (Woe is me! :p )